Tinay Bugayong is just 12 years old. She is the 6th of 8 children, in a family that could definitely use more money. She is a public school student who helps out in a cafeteria to earn extra funds. I heard her story on 24 Oras last night. A messenger riding a motorcycle on T. Gener St. in Kamuning, dropped a total of P300 thousand in cash and checks. Tinay saw the envelope, checked it out and found the cash and checks. Her instinct was to return it to the rightful owner. “Hindi naman sa akin yun e” (It’s not mine.) This is not the first time that Tinay has returned a substantial amount.

Department of Education (DepEd) OIC Secretary Fe Hidalgo today led the education bureaucracy in honoring Tinay during her school’s regular flag ceremony at Tomas Morato Elementary School in Quezon City.

“What our country needs today are role models like Tinay. Even as she was coaxed to keep the money, she still chose to return the money. That act alone says a lot about her. And up to this day, she has been receiving many blessings, far more than the value of the amount she returned,” said OIC Secretary Hidalgo.

I hope there will be more people like Tinay. Showing honesty even if others are not, even if others will not and even if others cannot.Let us make difference, also make this country the best place for every human being to live in. Like what the piece says, be honest! be a true Filipino!